As part of the Mercury campaign to help Hemsby Inshore Rescue Service raise the money it needs to keep saving lives offshore and on the Broads, we will be getting to know the crew, who are all volunteers, who keep the service running not just out on the water but behind the scenes too.

This week, we spoke to crew member, Nick Gudgeon.

Nick joined Hemsby Lifeboat around 10 months ago and bought with him passion and enthusiasm – but that wasn’t all he bought along, as sister Faye, who was profiled two weeks, joined soon after him.

“I wanted to be part of a service which involved saving people’s lives,” said the 25-year-old.

“I wanted to be proud of what I can achieve, and I am.”

As a crew member Nick, who is originally from Middlesex, North London, has to be a master of all trades.

“My role is to keep up with all the training as we’re on call 24/7, 365 days a year,” he said.

“So it’s important that when we get a shout that we know what to do there and then.”

When he’s not at the lifeboat station, on Beach Road, Nick still has a connection to the sea, as he works in Green Farm fish and Chip Shop in Scratby.

2I enjoy being part of such a good team, I’m very happy to be in the service,” he said.

“Everyone gets on so well and because we have more shouts with a happy ending than sad, it’s nice to be able to go home and say we’ve done a good job.”

All the members of the team have that one job that sticks in their memory, some ending better than others.

“My most memorable rescue would have to be being down at the station on a ,Tuesday night, we were getting ready for the fireworks that were going to go off.

“We got a call across the radio that two children had gone missing, and they were last seen on Hemsby beach wearing beachwear, so they had probably gone into the sea.

“We launched the sea boat and were out at sea for 40 minutes looking for these children, when thankfully we heard the good news that they were safe at home.”

Nick is aware of the generous support given by the public to the lifeboat, and is grateful.

“Without the support of the public we wouldn’t be where we are now,” he said.

“It’s important to keep the service going as we attend shouts which other services might not get to in time, we like to keep our community safe.”

To find out more about Hemsby Inshore Rescue Service, or to put yourself forward as a volunteer, get in contact by calling 01493 731641 or emailing contact@hemsbyinshorerescue.org.uk